Gale breaks LSC, ACU passing marks in Wildcats' victory

SAN ANTONIO — Mitchell Gale set conference and school records for career passing yards in Abilene Christian's 24-12 victory over Incarnate Word in the final Lone Star Conference and Division II football game for both teams on Saturday.

Gale, a senior from Alva, Okla., threw for 408 yards and two touchdowns to help the Wildcats (7-4 overall, 4-4 LSC) finish the season with three consecutive victories. Gale finished his four-year career at ACU with 12,109 yards — 97 more than former Wildcat Billy Malone, who was the starting quarterback the four previous years.

ACU became only the fifth school in NCAA history to have two 12,000-yard passers. Malone and Gale are only the third pair to do it as back-to-back starters. Stephenville's Kevin Kolb and Wylie's Case Keenum did at Houston (2003-11), while Timmy Chang and Colt Brennan did it for Hawaii (2000-07).

Gale also broke Malone's school and LSC career record for total yards (12,176 to Malone's 12,065). He also finished as both the LSC and ACU career record holder for attempts (931) and completions (1,513).

Gale's record-breaking night included the longest and third-longest of his 97 career touchdown passes. The first was an 87-yarder to Charcandrick West on a shovel pass, and later in the quarter, Gale threw an 80-yarder to Darian Hogg. Both came in the second quarter to help the Wildcats lead 17-6 at halftime.

ACU's Travis Tarver recovered a fumble at the Cardinals' 12-yard line on the game's opening kickoff, but the Wildcats had to settle for a 27-yard field goal by Ryan Owens.

Saul Meza kicked a pair of field goals in the opening quarter to give the Cards (2-9, 1-7) a 6-3 lead, until ACU scored on the two long touchdown passes in the second quarter.

Meza kicked two more field goals in the second half — the last a 26-yarder with 11:16 left in the game — to cut the Wildcats' lead to 17-12. But West ran 5 yards for ACU's last touchdown, and the Wildcats held on for the victory. West finished with 181 all-purpose yards — 72 rushing and 109 receiving.

Both ACU and Incarnate Word join the Division I-FCS Southland Conference next season. Both schools will play an independent schedule next season, before playing a Southland schedule in 2014. Both won't be eligible for postseason play until 2017.